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The evacuation operation is an expression of gratefulness to our allies

30.08.2021

- The situation in Afghanistan is extremely complicated. For my part, as the Minister of National Defense, I would like to thank you for the nearly 20 years of cooperation between the Polish Army and the Afghans who were interpreters who cooperated with the Polish military contingent. Thanks to this, the Polish contingent was able to complete tasks properly. When there was such a need, Poland organized a contingent, we sent soldiers and planes to evacuate all those who felt threatened. We also helped in the evacuation of our NATO allies' co-workers - said Mariusz Błaszczak, Minister of National Defense during a meeting with Rahima Jami, Afghan MP in the Sejm of the Republic of Poland.

Spotkanie w polskim Sejmie marszałek E. Witek, ministra M. Błaszczak z przedstawicielką afgańskiego parlamentu

On Monday, August the 30th , in the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, Elżbieta Witek, the Marshal of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland and the head of the Ministry of National Defense met with Rahima Jami, an Afghan MP.

- Afghans cannot be left completely alone, it would be a waste of 20 years of hard work, when many soldiers lost their lives there: Poles, Americans and other nationalities. I would like to thank you, Minister, I add my wishes and congratulations.

Thank you, the deputy, because it was she who noticed the great role played by the Polish Army, how efficiently it carried out the evacuation. It is also thanks to this evacuation that Mrs Jami was also able to find herself in safe Poland - said Elżbieta Witek, Marshal of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland.

Rahim Jami, a member of the Afghan House of Representatives, is one of the people who was evacuated during the last mission of Polish soldiers in Afghanistan. The meeting with the parliamentarian concerned, inter alia, evacuation of co-workers of the Polish Army and other Polish institutions from Afghanistan and the current situation in that country.

- What we could learn from the Mrs Jami is extremely important. These are first-hand messages, these are messages coming from an Member of the Afghan Parliament. The deputy held her mandate for three terms, previously she was also the headmaster of the school, she knows the conditions in which the Afghans found themselves very well. This testimony is extremely important for the future of Afghanistan, but also for the future of the entire free world, said the minister.

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On Friday, August the 27th, soldiers who participated in the evacuation mission of Afghan citizens returned to Poland.
The Polish Army had already taken care of the safety of its co-workers in Afghanistan. Practically by the end of June, with the end of our mission in Afghanistan, we evacuated all Afghan collaborators (along with their families) who were then interested in leaving. After things got worse in Afghanistan, more people who were concerned about their safety came forward.
More than 1,300 people were evacuated from Afghanistan, six Polish citizens who asked the Polish authorities to evacuate, and about 900 Afghans, co-workers of the Polish services and their families. Poland also evacuated collaborators of allied states and international institutions, including employees of the International Monetary Fund and the International Olympic Committee.
The Ministry of National Defense and the Polish Army closely cooperated with Polish diplomats. Four military planes (Hercules and Casa) made 30 flights on the Navoi route in Uzbekistan to Kabul and back. The evacuees from Uzbekistan were taken to Poland by civilian planes.

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